IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE A FEMALE JOCKEY WINS A FLAT CLASSIC, BELIEVES AMY RYAN

AMY Ryan, the newly-crowned apprentice champion, believes that it is just a matter of time before a female jockey wins a British flat racing classic.

Beating closest rival Darren Egan by two clear winners, Amy finished her season with a total of 40.

Britain's leading female jockey Hayley Turner, who tied for the apprentice title in 2005, presented Amy with the trophy.

I agree that it is only a matter of time before a female jockey wins a classic. More and more women are coming into horse racing for a career and are constantly moving towards the top of the pack, as Amy has shown.

Barriers have been broken in the sport for female jockeys and I hope that they will continue to be.

It is about faith and patience in racing. A jockey needs a good horse and trainer to help towards big titles and now more female jockeys are getting just that.

Amy's success is a delight to see and I hope that she, along with Hayley, will encourage more girls to take up the sport who may even compete professionally in the future.

Watch this space.

ROYAL ASCOT ENCOURAGES APPRECIATION FOR FLAT RACING

Royal Ascot begins tomorrow, arguably the most exciting flat racing event around, and great horses have already been making headlines across the globe.

Even I am incredibly interested in this year's race meeting, something that hasn't really happened in the past.

I've always been a huge fan of National Hunt racing and it's only since I've had the burning ambition to become a journalist for the sport that I have gained a greater interest in the flat.

Black Caviar is the horse that has made the flat more attractive for me: she hasn't lost a race in 21 starts and her journey from Australia to the UK had me searching her name.

 

She is a very influential mare I must admit. Of course I have always followed horses on the flat but not as regularly as National Hunt.


Big Bucks, Midnight Chase, Denman, Kauto Star, Swincombe Flame, Katchit are all huge names in NH racing that I have grown up with and consequently admired. They're the horses that have encouraged me to go to race meetings and watch them run in the flesh.


But now I want to learn more about the flat, the jockeys and trainers and discover the difference between NH and flat horses; what makes them tick, their training schemes and the obstacles they must overcome to win a race.


I want to encourage all NH lovers to do the same: watch Royal Ascot this week and find a new appreciation for the flat. Don't dismiss the idea, it can arguably be as exciting. You've just got to find a new technique to put your finger on the winner.




Photo take by Jake Owens - Royal Ascot, Gold Cup Race, June 16th 2011. Taken from Flickr

LASHING OUT - MY OPINION ON RULES OF THE WHIP IN HORSE RACING

Since the rules of the use of the whip in horse racing changed last year, it seems that each ban gets more and more ridiculous.

Personally, I believe that the whip in the sport was already used responsibly and reasonably.

Jockeys are now faced with further restrictions as to how many times they can use the whip.

From October 10th 2011, the number of times a jockey’s whip changed to eight in National Hunt races and nearly halved to seven times in flat races.

  

With recent bans including Lanzarote Hurdle winner, Will Kennedy and amateur riders including Robert Cooper, I believe the BHA should refer back to its previous rules on the whip as jockeys were doing just as well then.

How can you reduce the number of times you can hit the horse with the whip if it doesn't even hurt them in the first place?

Jockeys need to control the horses: they are large, heavy creatures who need to be given guidance in a race.

  

The whip is an essential element to why racing is such a greatly admired sport as around six million people attend just over 1,500 race meets in a year.

Will Kennedy said it right : "I'm not really one for hitting them but I missed the last and what do I tell the owners?

"I either hit her two more times and win by a nostril or I don't and I get beaten. Who can say I would have won without those two hits? It's disappointing."

He said: "You work your backside off and lose two-and-a-half grand. You sometimes wonder why you bother".

The BHA needs to reconsider the rules and I believe they should return to what they were previously.

Read my interview with Sussex trainer Diana Grissell on the use of the whip: http://everyoneisstarryeyed.blogspot.com/2011/11/whipping-up-debate-with-sussex-trainer.html